Check Point Research (CPR), and its Threat Intelligence division Check Point Software Technologies Ltd., a provider of global cyber security solutions, has released its 2023 Interim Annual Security Report.
The report reveals an alarming 8% rise in global weekly cyberattacks in the second quarter, the biggest increase in two years, highlighting how attackers have deftly combined next-generation AI technologies with established tools such as USB devices to carry out devastating cyber attacks. The report also shows how ransomware attacks escalated in the first half of the year with new ransomware groups coming to the fore.
From triple extortion attack at the University of Manchester until the rise of the new group Anonymous Sudan which targets western organizations, the 2023 Mid-Year Security Report reveals the trends and behaviors that have defined the year so far.
Key insights from the Mid-Year Security Report 2023 include:
- The teams Ransomware have stepped up their game, exploiting vulnerabilities in widely used enterprise software and shifting their approach from data encryption to data theft.
- The devices USB have re-emerged as significant threats, as both government-linked groups and cybercriminals use USB drives as vectors for infecting organizations worldwide.
- Hacktivism has been on the rise, with groups launching politically motivated attacks on selected targets.
- The abuse of artificial intelligence has been strengthened, with artificial intelligence tools used to create phishing emails, keystroke-tracking malware and basic ransomware code, which calls for stricter regulatory measures.
In H1 2023, 48 ransomware groups have breached over 2.200 victims, with Lockbit3 being the most active, reporting a 20% increase in victims compared to H1 2022. The emergence of new groups such as Royal and Play linked to the termination of the Hive and Conti Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) groups. In terms of geography, 45% of victims are located in the US, with an unexpected increase in Russian entities due to the new “MalasLocker” perpetrator, which replaces ransom demands with charitable donations. The manufacturing and retail sectors have the most victims, indicating a change in the strategy of ransomware attacks.
“Criminal activity continued to increase in the first half of the year, with an 8% increase in global weekly cyber attacks in the second quarter marking the highest volume in two years. Familiar threats such as ransomware and hacktivism have further evolved, with threat groups modifying their methods and tools to infect and affect organizations around the world. Even older technology like USB storage devices, which have long been gathering dust in desk drawers, have gained popularity as malware messengers,” said Maya Horowitz, VP Research at Check Point Software.
“Organizations must build a cyber resilience strategy and strengthen their defenses by taking a comprehensive approach to cyber security with prevention as the priority. Cyber attacks are inevitable, but they can be largely prevented with preventative measures and the right security technologies.”
The Interim Annual Security Report 2023 provides a comprehensive view of the cyber threat landscape. The findings are based on data drawn from the Check Point ThreatCloud Cyber-Threat Map, which examines the key tactics used by cybercriminals to carry out their attacks.
A full copy of the report is available here: https://pages.checkpoint.com/2023-mid-year-cyber-security-report.html
Aattack Ransomware attacks in numbers for the first half of 2023:
| Country | Average attacks per organization in 2023 | Change on an annual basis |
| Denmark | 1269 | 66% |
| poland | 1108 | 30% |
| New Zealand | 1230 | 26% |
| Argentina | 2026 | 21% |
| India | 2152 | 20% |
| United Kingdom | 866 | 19% |
| Czechia | 1652 | 11% |
| United States | 967 | 10% |
| Taiwan | 3245 | 10% |
| Portugal | 1095 | 9% |
| Colombia | 2512 | 7% |
| Switzerland | 855 | 7% |
| Japan | 1119 | 6% |
| Chile | 1265 | 5% |
| Austria | 1015 | 3% |
| Brazil | 1595 | 1% |
| Germany | 858 | -1% |
| Italy | 1244 | -3% |
| Belgium | 901 | -5% |
| Sweden | 907 | -6% |
| Mexico | 1656 | -8% |
| Spain | 1208 | -8% |
| Finland | 1100 | -10% |
| Australia | 843 | -11% |
| China | 1651 | -11% |
| Singapore | 1291 | -17% |
| Netherlands | 598 | -18% |
| Canada | 743 | -18% |
| France | 685 | -22% |
